Where Moonlight Falls
by NateSean
Summary: Major Samantha Carter and most of SG14 have gone missing on a world engulfed in darkness. Meanwhile, a member of SG14 is thirsty for blood. Can SG1 find the solution before SGC becomes an all youcaneatbuffet?
1. Unscheduled Return

Disclaimer: Are these really necessary right now? I mean, we all are established in the idea that none of the characters belong to me. Accept of course for the team members of SG-14, SG-8 and Cyan.  
  
Also, this takes place around season 5, so Janet is still alive.

Chapter One: Unscheduled Return"Unscheduled off world activation!"  
  
In only a fraction of a second the gate room was flooded with military personnel, alert and ready in the event that the iris couldn't hold back any potential threats. Hammond left his office followed closely by Colonel Jack O'Neil.  
  
Klaxon alarms sounded throughout the base signaling medical personnel as well as soldiers and airmen. Dr. Frasier had the members of her staff prepping themselves for patients that may need medical attention.  
  
The gate technician on duty read the identification number on his screen. And without even looking up, or having to hear the general's voice, he said, "It's SG-14's signal sir."  
  
That got Col. O'Neil's attention.  
  
"Carter's with them."  
  
"I know," General Hammond nodded towards the technician. "Open the iris."  
  
Like a professional piano player the gate technician's hand flew to the security interface.  
  
"Open iris."  
  
The iris opened up slowly, revealing the blue and white aura of the open wormhole. Then, with a resonating metallic screech, the iris retracted completely making it possible for people to exit safely.  
  
A few seconds later Lt. Patrick Reed staggered onto the platform clutching his throat. His helmet was missing and his fatigues were slashed and drenched in blood. Col. O'Neil hit the intercom button that connected him to sick bay.  
  
"Frasier, we need a stretcher up here right away."  
  
He followed the General down the stairs and into the gate room as soldiers tried to assist their comrade as best they could.  
  
"Close the iris!" The soldier's voice was slurred and pained, but the urgency was there. From the sound of it, Hammond and O'Neil didn't expect to see Carter or the rest of SG-14 any time soon. The general nodded towards the gate technician, and another moment later the iris closed.  
  
The wormhole closed but not before a loud thudding sound.  
  
"What was behind you just now?" Col. O'Neil asked, trying to remain professional. He wanted to shake Reed hard and demand where Carter was, but that wouldn't have been fair or appropriate.  
  
The medical team arrived. Two of the soldiers helped the medical team get the man onto a stretcher. Reed clearly didn't have the strength to say anymore. Hammond chose not to say anything as the colonel followed the stretcher back to sickbay.  
  
"What do we know about P-2985?"  
  
About an hour later the General was in the briefing room. Teal'c and Dr. Jackson sat to his left, and Col. Marcus Graves and Dr. Mollie Clark from SG-8 sat to his right. Dr. Jackson cleared his throat before he began.  
  
"Well, according to Major Carter's original analysis the planet's sun is not entirely visible during the day or night. It became something of scientific interest when SG-14 discovered that the planet itself was a tropical world that supported a full eco-system."  
  
"How is that possible?"  
  
"We're not sure of that," Dr. Clark spoke up. "The star is made entirely out of dark matter. This kind of phenomenon is unprecedented in human history. Typically a sun uses very basic principals of fission to burn, and this particular star appears to use the same principals, but it doesn't seem to generate the same broad spectrum as our own sun."  
  
"In other words, it's almost completely dark." Dr. Jackson added.  
  
General Hammond recalled most of this information from M. Carter's briefing earlier that week. But it was necessary to know everything in greater detail if he was to decide a course of action.

"What do you mean, almost?"  
  
"Well, the planet is orbited by two larger moons." Dr. Clark explained. "One of the moons is a gaseous body that generates just enough energy to illuminate the surface. But it's the same quality of light as the full moon on Earth."  
  
"General," Colonel Graves said. "With all due respect, I believe the important thing right now is to find out what happened to our men and women out there."  
  
"I agree," General Hammond responded. "But I don't want to risk any more lives without knowing everything we can about the situation. Right now until Doctor Frasier can determine what it was that attacked Lieutenant Reed or until he's able to give us more details, we have to do the best we can with what we have. Doctor Jackson, contact the Tokra and see if they have any information about P-2985 that they'd be willing to share."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The general turned to Colonel Graves. "Until then I want you to contact the rest of your team. I know they're off base but we're going to need all the help we can get."  
  
"Right away sir."  
  
"Dismissed."  
  
As usual, Dr. Frasier managed to overlook Colonel O'Neil as he waited patiently to hear of Lieutenant Reed's condition. Knowing him as she did, she could honestly say that the colonel would be just as vigilant were it Jackson or Teal'c missing in action. So while the colonel slouched in a chair beside Reed's bed, arms crossed, and eyes resting, the Dr. was busy analyzing the blood and tissue samples found on Reed's clothing.  
  
In all her years as an MD Dr. Frasier had never seen a man torn apart so badly. Upon initial examination she'd assumed the claw marks had come from some wild animal indigenous to P-2985. But the there were also bite marks on the neck, where most of the blood loss occurred. The tissue and some of the muscle around the bite area was also damaged, but only slightly.  
  
Dr. Jackson walked in just as Frasier moved on to analyzing a saliva sample Reed's neck wound. With his hands thrust deep into his pockets, he shot a casual glance towards Colonel O'Neil.  
  
"How's Reed?" He asked quietly.  
  
Dr. Frasier glanced over towards Reed. Her uncertain expression puzzled Jackson, but he waited for her reply.  
  
"He should be all right in a couple of days. But I'd sure like to know what attacked him, and if we need to worry about it. Did anyone find out anything more about the planet?"  
  
"It seems that the Tokra once sent an expedition there," Dr. Jackson answered. "They're sparing one of their experts to come and help us out. Beyond that I have no clue."  
  
Dr. Frasier was about to say something, when Reed started groaning. Col. O'Neil jolted awake as the doctors rushed to Reed's bedside. What they saw shocked them.  
  
Reed's eyes were blank and almost lifeless, and his skin was as pale as a corpse. Dr. Frasier checked his pulse and found it faint and almost non- existent. His heartbeat was also weak enough where there was no logical explanation for why he was still alive.  
  
"What's going on?" He demanded. He clutched his heart, equally as shocked as the rest by his body's behavior.  
  
"You're suffering from some unusual symptoms. I'm going to do everything I can to save you." Dr. Frasier explained in a soothing voice, trying to calm her patient.  
  
"What happened to the rest of your team?" Col. O'Neil asked. "Where's Sam?"  
  
"Colonel, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."  
  
Col. O'Neil was taken aback, and about to protest. Dr. Jackson started to suggest that he and the colonel go to lunch. But without warning, Reed reached up and grabbed Dr. Frasier by the neck before she could react.  
  
Both the Col. O'Neil and Dr. Jackson sprang into action. One tried to pry Doctor Frasier away from Reed's bared teeth, and the other tried to get his hand away from her neck. Orderlies jumped into strap him down once she was a safe distance from him.  
  
"Bring me three CC's of Thorazine stat!" the doctor ordered. A nurse rushed over with a syringe as soon as she could and thrust the needle into Reed's arm with trained precision, but not before Reed made one last lunge. The straps tore from the bed, and Reed's teeth sank right into the nurse's throat.  
  
As he began to feed on her, his arms flailed in all directions sending people flying across the laboratory. Col. O'Neil was able to get far enough out of his reach, but jumped on the first opportunity to try and pry the nurse away. Dr. Frasier hit the panic button, activating the klaxon alarms while the melee ensued.  
  
With Dr. Jackson and Col. O'Neil's combined effort they were able to get the nurse away from Reed while the airmen worked to subdue him. Frasier ordered Reed quarantined and straitjacketed while she and another orderly went to examine the injured nurse.  
  
"Well Daniel," Col. O'Neil commented. "Looks like we have our work cut out for us."  
  
"It's amazing," Dr. Jackson said, as his eyes following Reed as he was escorted out of sickbay. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was...well, a vampire."  
  
Col. O'Neil rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that idea occurred to me too. What I want to know is whether or not we should include that part in the report."


	2. Unwanted Developments

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I would have had it up yesterday, but it just got so late, and I wanted to get home in time for the season premier of SG-1.  
  
Chapter Two: Unwanted Developments  
  
To say that this was inconvenient was an understatement. No one liked it when the base was quarantined. And when you sent men in to explore unknown worlds across thousands of light years for the first time, you always risked carrying home some kind of deadly virus. And in light of the report from Doctor Frasier, and everyone else who was in sickbay at the time, General Hammond had no choice but to follow his standing orders and close the base off. If that meant that everyone in the mountain had to die then so be it, so long as the rest of the planet could be safe from the ravages of the unknown disease. In his off time, Hammond often wondered if the Russian Stargate Command followed a similar set of protocols.  
  
In times like this the main priorities of all personnel stuck on the base were very simple. First, ensure security at all costs. No one comes into the base, and no one leaves it, at any cost. Not even the president could override that mandate. Second priority, was to find out everything about the disease or infection in hopes that the slightest bit of information would lead to a cure.  
  
Doctor Frasier spent the next two days analyzing the samples of saliva and blood originally found on Lt. Reed's body. Fortunately, she was also able to isolate samples of the lieutenant's saliva, which she obtained from Cyan Rayne, the nurse who got bitten. At this point the nurse was beginning to suffer from similar symptoms, and to avoid further incidents, she was placed under restraints and sedated as often as safety allowed. Two on duty airmen were also stationed right outside sickbay in case of any trouble. Doctor Jackson and Col. O'Neil took turns trying to get through to the lieutenant, who struggled to break free of the straightjacket.  
  
"You're doing it all wrong," Col. O'Neil joked, looking in through the plate glass. "When they put it on you, you're supposed to tense your muscles. That way it slackens when you relax. That's how Harry Houdini always did it."  
  
Lt. Reed glared at the colonel. A primitive and animalistic growl could be heard through the speakers. And even though the room was dimly lit, Col. O'Neil could see his bared teeth and penetrating eyes.  
  
"So, been to Transylvania lately?" O'Neil continued, using the only vampire quip he could think of. "Nah, me neither. Nothing's better than good old Minnesota."  
  
The lieutenant muttered something weak and faint.  
  
"What's that?" "I need blood," Reed repeated himself, a little louder.  
  
Col. O'Neil raised an eyebrow and exchanged glances with one of the guards. That was a new one.  
  
"Don't we all?" He responded, keeping his sympathetic tone.  
  
"You don't understand. With out blood, my body feels like its taking over, like I have no control over my actions. And this pain...it feels like there's nothing left inside of me but a lot of dead weight."  
  
"What happened to you out there?" O'Neil asked. "What happened to the rest of SG-14, and to Sam?"  
  
Lt. Reed shook his head. From the light glistening off his forehead, Col. O'Neil could tell he was suffering. "You have to get me the blood first. Get me the blood and I'll tell you everything."  
  
Col. O'Neil thought on this for a second. Lt. Reed was obviously not in his right mind. But perhaps there was pay dirt here. "Tell me everything, and I'll get you the blood."  
  
"Not the way this works."  
  
Col. O'Neil took his tone up a notch. "This may be a bad time to pull rank, but you don't have much of a choice but to make it work."  
  
"You don't out rank me any more," Reed growled. "I know the lights are dim in here. But I can see the veins in your neck. I can smell the warmth of your blood right through the plate glass. The aroma is overwhelming, like the smell of a Thanksgiving turkey when its in the oven. Without blood, I can't think straight, and until I get it, I can't tell you anything about Major Carter."  
  
Without saying another word, Col. O'Neil saluted the guards and walked away as calmly as he could. He felt the tips of his fingers digging into the palm of his hands before he even realized that his fists were clenched.

* * *

"Janet, tell me this quarantine doesn't have to last too long."  
  
"I don't know what to say General," Dr. Frasier answered honestly. "This infection has the most extraordinary makeup I've ever seen." The doctor lead General Hammond to a microscope. "This is a sample of saliva, which we found on Lt. Reed's neck wounds upon examination."

Gen. Hammond gazed into the microscope and noticed the greenish-yellow color of the saliva. With limited medical knowledge he could only assume that it was the cause of the infection.  
  
"This bacteria was also found in the blood samples I took from Lt. Reed, before he became aggressive." Janet explained, gesturing to another microscope. "Now I noticed the bacteria in the saliva right away, but it wasn't until a few hours had passed that it showed up in the blood."  
  
"What blood?" Hammond asked. As he looked at the slide beneath the microscope, all he could see was the same bacteria, covering the area beneath the plastic strip.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Before the general could ask if Dr. Frasier was making some kind of a joke, Janet showed him samples of blood and saliva taken from the nurse.  
  
"Shortly after Cathy Moran was bitten, she began to exhibit the same symptoms as Lieutenant Reed. Low pulse and heartbeat, and by the end of the day she was beginning to try and break free of her restraints. The only thing that keeps her calm is the IV bags full of blood we keep on the base, and even those don't hold out for very long."  
  
General Hammond was baffled by these new revelations. Even after five years of sending people off world and dealing with any number of strange afflictions, or devastating diseases, each time was a whole new experience. Nothing ever ceased to amaze him.  
  
"Sir, what we're looking at, is a bacteria that actually devours blood." Dr. Frasier summed up. "And as a side effect, it forces them to become thirsty for blood like a...a..."  
  
"Like a vampire?" Col. O'Neil suggested, approaching the pair.  
  
"How's Reed?" Hammond asked, genuinely concerned.  
  
"A little resentful at being strait jacketed. But other than that he's promised to cooperate if we give him a few pints of blood. I told him we'd think about it."  
  
"There's nothing to think about. We still have teams off world and you know we need every ounce of blood in that bank. We have an on base blood drive every six months or so, and even adding that to what the military provides us is never enough to cover all of the unplanned emergencies."  
  
"General, he says he can't think straight without the blood." O'Neil protested. "Now I know this is a bit over the top, but its not like we haven't dealt with weirder. And since the Tokra are taking their sweet ass time as usual we need every bit of information we can get on the whereabouts of our people."  
  
"There's a possibility that they may all ready be dead," Gen. Hammond pointed out. "Or if not, they may be as good as dead. As is I'm going to have a hell of a time explaining to the president that two people under my command have turned into vampires."  
  
Dr. Frasier cut in. "Sir, you know as much as I do that we can be caught short at any time. But communicating with Lieutenant Reed maybe the only way I can find a cure for this thing. Any bit of information I can get would be helpful in developing the antibody. Even if he could simply tell me what it was that attacked him."  
  
The general knew he was backed into a corner. But at least he knew Frasier's intent was for the good of all the SGC. At this point, Col. O'Neil's mind was focused on only one person through out all of this.  
  
"All right," He said, speaking more to O'Neil than Frasier. "He gets no more than two pints from the blood bank. After that, if you can find any willing donors then be my guess. But we aren't sending any more people to P- 2985 until we're absolutely sure that this bacteria can eventually be cured."  
  
"Yes sir."

* * *

It was around three am. The IV bag was nearly empty. Cathy was wide-awake, and thoroughly aware of the emptiness within her. The scent of blood was so strong, coming from a small desk near the bed. It was Lindsey, the male nurse placed on night watch.  
  
"I could use a glass of water," She said, innocently.  
  
Lindsey looked up from his work and got up. He filled a paper cup with water from the cooler, and brought it to the side of her bed. Her hunger increased as he brought the cup to her lips and helped her drink. The restraints were made of plastic instead of nylon, and not as easy to break.  
  
She made a show of spilling the water.  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
"That's all right."  
  
Lindsay placed the cup on the nightstand and grabbed a sponge to dab the droplets.  
  
"Do you think you could undo the restraints for just a moment?" Cathy asked, her mouth watering as Lindsay leaned over her.  
  
Lindsay was uncertain. "My orders were not to."  
  
"I won't tell anyone," She promised. "Come on Lindsay, I just want to drink water with some dignity."  
  
Lindsay glanced back at the entrance, as if expecting to get caught. Then he began to undo of the straps. Cathy waited until her other arm was free before grabbing Lindsay and pulling the curtains around the bed. She cupped his mouth with one hand and held him in place with the other as he struggled, and buried her teeth into his throat.  
  
It wasn't as easy or as seductive as it was in the movies. Hell, she didn't even have real fangs to do it with. But when the warm blood filled her mouth the emptiness seemed to fade away. She knew it wouldn't last long. Before the night was through she'd have to feed again.  
  
Lindsay stopped struggling, and she could feel his heart shutter to a stop. No one from outside seemed to notice anything. Cathy placed the body on the bed and covered it up with the sheets. Somehow it seemed so natural to her, as if she hadn't just killed a person she'd known for a few months.  
  
Something was calling to her, and she knew she couldn't resist it. She knocked on the door and stepped to the side. A moment later, one of the guards kicked open the door and slowly entered, presumably with the second guard watching his back.  
  
Not a problem. Cathy could feel the presence inside her, guiding her actions.  
  
Cathy yanked the guard towards her, shocking him enough to loosen the grip on his gun. She bit into him and only drank a little blood before guard outside managed to hit the panic button. Cathy threw the guard aside and bolted out the door, slamming into the second guard and knocking him on his back.  
  
"Cease and desist!" A third man shouted.  
  
Cathy looked up and saw four more soldiers blocking her way to the elevator. All of them were pointing guns at her. She looked from them to the soldier on the floor. He was writhing in pain from her blow.  
  
Acting on the instincts of the outside presence, Cathy dived onto the fallen soldier. He was able to raise his arm to protect his neck, but she simply bit into his wrist. Powerful arms pulled her away, but not before the infection was successfully passed. 


	3. Cyan

Chapter Three: Cyan  
  
A thread of pain shot through Major Carter's back as she regained consciousness. The floor of the cave was cold and uneven. Slowly, she sat up as her vision cleared. When she took in her surroundings, she realized she was no longer in the same cave as the stargate.  
  
The mouth of the cave was only a few feet away, and she could see a large dark mass blocking out the stars. Hard to believe she once found it fascinating. Now it was almost frightening.  
  
"Major Levine?" She called out. "Reed, Cooper. Doctor Murray? Anyone?" Her only reply was the sound of her voice, echoing against the walls of the cave.  
  
A cool breeze picked up. It was a nice change of pace from the near tropical heat. M. Carter checked herself over once, and aside from a few bruises and a few scrapes, nothing was broken. She climbed to her feet and went through her utility jacket, searching for a flashlight. Finding one and relieved that it was damaged, she turned it on and took stock of her surroundings.  
  
This cave was considerably smaller than the one where the stargate was held. Lt. Cooper referred to it as Grand Central Station without the crowd. If M. Carter had to compare this cave to any place on Earth, it would be more like the briefing room back at the SGC. The real question was how she got here.  
  
Not sure of how long she'd been out, M. Carter tried to piece together the events that led up to this moment. She remembered requesting to join SG-14 on their mission to this planet. Once the probes confirmed that the planet had a sustainable eco-system in spite of its dark matter sun, she systematically scrubbed everything else in her date book for the following month. There was no way in hell she was planning to miss out on the major astrological discovery of all time!  
  
Major Levine was happy to have a fifth person joining them. And Doctor Murray had been a big fan of M. Carter's work from the day he was finally assigned to SG-14. Up until a while ago, Carter wasn't sure exactly when, things were moving fairly smoothly.  
  
As far as she could tell, this star was several billion years older than Earth's own sun. Without the Asgard's help it would take a few months to build a platform to launch a solar probe, but until then M. Carter assumed that the sun burned the same basic principals as any other star.  
  
The planet's wildlife was fairly complex, but perfectly adapted for life on a world with no light. Various species of moss seemed to be the dominant plant form, and it gained whatever nourishment it needed from the many streams and lakes that made up the landscape. All of the more advanced life forms consisted of rodents, insects, and fish. Brimeshrimp filled the lakes but the rivers were clear enough to safely drink from.  
  
Dr. Murray discovered that the larger species of rodent, which resembled ferrets, evolved large eyes for adjusting to the low quality of light. They also appeared to use echolocation to locate food and obstacles, just like the bats and dolphins of Earth.  
  
Aside from the sounds of the insect life it was a fairly quiet couple of nights...until _they_ attacked. Silence struck the camp. The insects stopped chirping, and it seemed as though the wind had come to a sudden stop as well. Lt. Cooper and Major Levine were taking first watch that night, but after three nights with no activity they were loosening up a bit too much.  
  
An unseen force struck down M. Levine and Lt. Cooper. Drawn by the noise, M. Carter and Lt. Reed went to check on them. As they exited the mouth of the cave they found themselves surrounded by...well, they were still people, Carter decided. They were pale and thin, and from the various tones of skin, it wouldn't have surprised Carter if they came from every known planet in the gate network.  
  
Reed attempted to communicate, but before he could even finish speaking, two of the creatures attacked. The others made similar attempts and Carter laid down gunfire. Reed was able to squeeze off a round before his gun was yanked from his hands.  
  
"Murray!" Carter shouted. "Dial home, quickly!"  
  
Dr. Murray had all ready punched in the fifth symbol, but there were only two soldiers holding the line and several more of the creatures. Three or four got past Carter and accosted Dr. Murray as he punched in the final symbol.  
  
Reed was able to wrestle free of the monsters, but not before they got several good swipes in. The last thing Carter remembered was Reed trying to rescue her, and the brilliant flash of light preceding the wormhole's opening. Carter lost her gun and was being dragged away by the creatures. One of them managed to bite Reed. After that, something must have hit her hard, because it all went black.  
  
She had no clue how long ago that was. All she knew was that she was hungry and thirsty, and she had a splitting headache. Her canteen was missing, and she didn't have enough time to grab some food for her unplanned trip.  
  
She did have her knife, and an extra handgun, which puzzled her. These things obviously meant to capture her, but why wouldn't they take away her only means of defense? And more to the point, where were her guards? No one was drawn by the sound of her moving about and there was nothing keeping her in the cave. No bars, no force field, not even a watchdog of some kind.  
  
Carter ventured outside. The moons were high and bright, making it easier to see. A few feet away she could see what looked like a river. If it was the same river that ran by their original camp sight, she might be able to follow it back. But it also meant that she could at least satisfy her thirst.  
  
Like before, when the creatures attacked the camp, there wasn't a sound. Carter was about to take out her knife, just in case, when the air shimmered in front of her. A woman appeared in front of her, carrying the canteen and wearing a surprisingly clean dressing gown that had seen better days. She was as pale as the other creatures were and her brown eyes were eerie from their near lifelessness.  
  
"I brought you some water," She spoke in lightly accented English. "I did not know how long you would be a sleep so I came back as fast as I could."  
  
It was hard to decide if it was safe to trust this woman. Carter was thirsty as all hell, but the idea that this woman was one of them made her apprehensive.  
  
"I assure you," The woman continued. "This water came from the river. I have not infected it."  
  
After a moment's deliberation Carter put aside her inhibitions and accepted the canteen. After guzzling nearly half of its contents she screwed the cap back on and studied her host.  
  
"You're not human." She observed.  
  
The woman shook her head. "No."  
  
"Well how about an explanation? Cause for all I know my friends are dead, and I'm standing here in the middle of nowhere talking to you."  
  
_Damn_, Carter thought. _I've been hanging around the colonel too long.  
_  
"My name is Cyan." The woman began, making herself comfortable on a tuft of moss. She gestured for Carter to sit down as well. "A man came through the Stargate many centuries ago and gave me this name. But I have been here since long before I can remember."  
  
"How is that possible? I know the Goa'uld can possess a host for at least four hundred years without using the sarcophagus."  
  
"I am not a Goa'uld!" Cyan spat at the name, as if just saying it left a bitter taste on her palette. "Those filthy snakes are what did this to me. It is their awful tampering that caused me to desire the blood of the living. For a thousand years I was kept on this world, forced to feed on whomever my master sent to me. But I was young and inexperienced. I didn't know that if I left them alive they would become...like me."  
  
Cyan wasn't the first human victim of Goa'uld experiments. Everyone still joked about Col. O'Neil's inadvertent brush with old age on the planet Argos. A Goa'uld by the name of Pelops developed nanoprobes that increased the natural process of human growth. When O'Neil spent an apparently pleasant evening with one of the young women there, he contracted the probes himself, and nearly died of old age in a matter of weeks!  
  
"What did they do to you?" Carter asked, sympathetically.  
  
"I once lived on the world of the Tauri, during the times when the Goa'uld known as Ra continued to harvest men and women as hosts. I was being groomed for a life as host to one of Ra's children, as was my mother. But shortly after my twentieth year, Isis and Osiris launched and attack. Many of the hosts and Jaffa were captured and Osiris managed to escape this system before Ra retaliated.  
  
"My mother was among the people captured. Isis used my mother and several more potential hosts as target practice for her new weapon designs. Others, host and Jaffa alike were left at the mercy of Osiris' awful experiments. She dismembered men and women and reattached limbs to see how they adapted, performed organ transplants, exposed them to any number of diseases and bacteria. She even performed experiments on her own kind; the infant symbiotes from the Jaffa. But she took a special interest in me."  
  
Cyan stopped for a moment as an old pain surfaced. Carter wondered how much time had passed since Cyan last revisited those times.  
  
"I was kept in a special laboratory, where Osiris took samples of my blood and brain tissue. I remember waking up one morning and discovering that I knew all that she knew, all that every Goa'uld symbiote knew. I could sense the creature inside of its host body."  
  
"But you never had a Goa'uld inside of you?" Carter asked, curious.  
  
"Never. As it was explained to me, Osiris had successfully grafted neurons from one of the symbiotes into my own brain. I was no longer an ignorant slave waiting for the day when my body would no longer be my own. I was a freak of nature. "The realization that the Goa'uld were not truly gods was terrifying to me. For what salvation could there be from serving these monsters? All my life I had been told that rich rewards awaited us in the afterlife, but only if we lived as we were meant to, serving our noble gods. With no one to pray to anymore, I suddenly longed for death. I begged Osiris to kill me off.  
  
"'Oh, you're not going to die anytime soon,' was her reply. I can remember her words so clearly even now. 'In fact, when I am done with you, the only way you will ever die is by your own hand. And you don't have the strength to commit suicide.'  
  
"No matter how painful the next few weeks were, no matter how hard I begged, or how loud I screamed, no gods came to save me. I had no hope. Osiris' work was a complete success. Her new strain of bacteria prevented me from aging, and eliminated my need for food, water, and oxygen. I was infected with any number of diseases, and injured in everyway she could imagine, but the bacteria protected me and healed me. For a while it seemed she had found the perfect host.  
  
"But it wasn't a host that she wanted. As I soon came to realize, this bacteria had other qualities as well. It could spread at an unprecedented rate, from my saliva into other hosts. In less than a century I had created an army of walking corpses. And they were also able to pass it on to others by biting.  
  
"Osiris returned to Earth and claimed a portion of Ra's kingdom for herself and Isis. With her new army at her disposal and I as her recruiter, not even Ra's death gliders could stop her. He used his manipulative skills to bring Set to Earth, and it was another century before Osiris and Isis were forced to escape their hosts and go into hiding.  
  
"I was later captured by the one known as Apophis. My brethren and I intrigued him, and he used the stargate to scatter many of them to the other worlds where they could plague his enemies. When this world was discovered, Apophis left me here. For centuries people have been sent through the gate to appease my deadly appetite. But I have created so many of my own kind that I was eventually forced to live here, far from the cave that houses the stargate. "  
  
Carter was intrigued by Cyan's story. If only Doctor Jackson could have been here to hear it. The thought of her friends jolted her back to reality.  
  
"It's terrible what was done to you," She said, with genuine sympathy. "But you should know that my world was able to overcome the Goa'uld's oppression, and we've evolved to a fairly advanced culture. Not as advanced as the Asgard or the Tokra, but we get by all right. If you could show me the way back to the stargate, I'm sure our doctors could help find a cure for your condition."  
  
Cyan smiled. It was too warm a smile for such a cold face, but it was reassuring nonetheless.  
  
"I could never go back to that world. I have lived here for so long that it's the only home I know. But I do know that one of yours is infected. I am linked to the ones who attacked you. He was bitten before he could escape through the stargate, and no doubt he has begun feeding and spreading the disease to your people."  
  
"I'm sure my people can handle it." Carter grinned wryly. "It's not the first time we've been infected by an off world disease."  
  
"I will show you the way to the stargate, but on one condition. You must destroy our gate for all eternity. No one must ever be able to come to this world again." 


	4. Exchange of Knowledge

Chapter Four: Exchanges of Knowledge  
  
Every day of his life Col. O'Neil managed to convince himself that he had seen it all. The time he got his head caught in an alien library, the day he later met the Asgard, and even the time he was almost made a Jaffa after an unfortunate run in with Hathor were just a few of those times. But it seemed like the very next day only existed to prove him wrong.  
  
It was out of morbid curiosity that Col. O'Neil forced himself to watch as Lt. Reed gulped down the blood from the IV bag, like a kid sucking on an orange. O'Neil did manage to convince himself that this was all apart of the job. He sat there in the chair by the desk while Teal'c stood to the side.  
  
"Does this not disturb you Colonel O'Neil?" Teal'c asked conversationally.  
  
"Not at all Teal'c," O'Neil responded. "I'm thinking of knocking back a few pints after he's done, I just didn't want to be rude."  
  
Accustomed to Col. O'Neil's typical brand of sarcasm, Teal'c went on. "When I was first prime of Apophis, many of the Jaffa spoke of such creatures existing in the galaxy. On Chulak, stories of the shalik were a common part of our lore."  
  
"The shalik?"  
  
"A fierce and deadly creature, which possessed all of the qualities of a Jaffa. They were exiled from their home village and forced to feed on the blood of their own. My mother used to tell me these stories to ensure that I would not wander far from home."  
  
"We call them vampires here on Earth. I watched all the Dracula movies when I was a kid. But usually he could at least turn into a bat, or a wolf and get away from people."  
  
"It would appear that most of our cultures' theories regarding these creatures are false at best," Teal'c concluded. "All for one at least."  
  
As if on cue, Reed finished draining the blood and tossed it on to the nightstand next to the other empty bag. Without waiting for a prompt, he recounted the events of the doomed mission to P-2985. He felt immense guilt for leaving without making a better effort to save Carter and the others, but he had no other choice. The "vampires", for lack of a better word, tried to follow him through the stargate, which explained the need to close the Iris.  
  
"They had been there for centuries," He explained. "It takes the bacteria a few hours to completely affect the body. Once a few pints have been drained the body becomes a separate entity entirely."  
  
"And these things told you this just before they ravaged you and your team?" O'Neil asked letting the disbelief drip.  
  
"I know how it sounds," Reed said. "But as my body began to change, I suddenly knew it all. At least I knew what I was and what they were. I was able to link with the nurse I'd bitten earlier, and even now I can feel the minds of the soldiers she bit."  
  
"Fascinating," Teal'c commented. "Infant Goa'uld are born with the knowledge of their kind. Certainly it is more than a coincidence that these shalik possess similar attributes."  
  
Col. O'Neil rubbed his temples gently. "Listen, Patrick, here's the thing. Not too many people around here are excited about opening up a vein to feed you and the others. We also have the people you injured, and I know that isn't you're fault, but its adding pressure to the general. At this point I don't care if vampires, or shaliks, or whatever the hell you want to call them are real. I'm just interested in finding out if Sam and the others are all right, before it's too late.  
  
"Anything you can tell us, anything at all would be helpful. But the most helpful thing at this point would be whether or not we can defend ourselves."  
  
Reed nodded.  
  
"Bullets seemed to take them down all right. But there were so many that it was impossible to fight them off. Sam was dragged away by about five of them. That's all I remember about her before I made a run for the gate. God only knows about Levine, Murray, Cooper."  
  
"Did they show any sign of intelligence?" Teal'c asked.  
  
"None. If they've been around for that long, the only thing that matters to them is blood."  
  
Sensing that there was no more information to be gained, Col. O'Neil rose. "Thanks for your help. Is there anyone you want me to get in contact with? Any family I can get a message to?"  
  
Reed shook his head. "No thanks. If I'm still alive at the end of all this there'll be nothing to tell them."

* * *

"How far is the stargate anyway?"  
  
"The moons and the sun must pass over us once before we reach it." Cyan answered. "It is the only safe way to make the journey."  
  
They were currently making their way along the river. It roared gently and the breeze off of it was refreshing. The moons were at their peek now and Carter had to work hard not to get caught gazing up at the glowing orange one.  
  
"You said you had been here for many centuries," She said, trying to stay focused. "Has this world always been like this?"  
  
"To my knowledge yes. For the first five hundred years I lived near the stargate, before the others got out of hand. Apophis always finds some excuse to 'feed' someone to me. A member of the Tokra came here not so long ago. He and I spoke for many hours before he finally decided that this world would not be safe for his people. I was saddened to be without company, but I also did not wish for anything to happen to him."  
  
"Have the Asgard ever come here?"  
  
Cyan shook her head. She led Carter to a small hut, a few feet from the river. It appeared to be made from large flat rocks, and a tattered cloth served as the door.  
  
"We must stop here," she said. "I have a few things that will be of use to you."  
  
"Is this your home?" Carter asked, holding the cloth back and looking in.  
  
"No. Just a place to keep my things."  
  
Cyan knelt before a small chest. Inside was a Goa'uld healing device and a pair of zat weapons.  
  
"Occasionally," She explained. "Apophis would take pity on a Jaffa and send him through with a single item to get by with. The zats will injure and repel one of my kind, but it will not kill them."  
  
Carter gratefully accepted the zat and tested it on a nearby rock to see that it worked. She took the healing device and examined it.  
  
"Can you use this?"  
  
"Of course," Cyan answered. "And if I'm not mistaken, so can you."  
  
Carter was shocked for a moment, but not when she considered it. Cyan basically had the same abilities as a Goa'uld. Even Carter could still sense the presence of the Goa'uld and the Tokra in their hosts. She pocketed the device and they continued on their way up the river.

* * *

A single representative emerged from the wormhole. The signature gray robes came to an inch above the ground. The host was a dark skinned man with warm black eyes and long hair.  
  
"Welcome to the SGC," General Hammond greeted.  
  
"Thank you General," The man replied. "My name is Hale."  
  
Hale closed his eyes and allowed his symbiote to speak.  
  
"And I am Kylan. It was I who journeyed to Larock forty years ago, where your people are now missing."  
  
The general nodded in acknowledgement. "We appreciate you taking the time to help us. If you'll come this way to the briefing room."  
  
The briefing room was a full house this time around. Hale/Kylan sat beside the General, across from Col. O'Neil. Doctor Jackson and Teal'c sat beside O'Neil, and all of SG-8-including Col. Graves and Doctor Clark. Doctor Frasier was also present incase Kylan could provide any clues to curing the bacterial infection.  
  
"When I first journeyed to this world I thought it would be the perfect hiding place for the Tokra." Kylan began. "The pour light quality at night and the pure darkness during the day would have made it easy to set up a more permanent base. It was not until I encountered several of these creatures, which you have described that I decided it would not be safe for such an endeavor."  
  
"We kinda came to that conclusion ourselves," O'Neil quipped.  
  
"Colonel."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"I did manage to meet a single woman there who called herself Cyan. She was different from the others, and she told me of how she and her kind came to be on this world. As I understand it, Osiris performed several experiments on her thousands of years ago. Cyan was forced to infect many Tauri with this strain of bacteria in order to build an army stronger and more durable than the Jaffa, but without the necessity of a symbiote."  
  
"I take it you never discovered a cure for the infection?" Dr. Frasier asked.  
  
"She had no desire for a cure." Kylan explained. "Though my former host and I tried to persuade her, she insisted that this was her lot in life."  
  
"That would remain consistent with most of the humans we've met on Goa'uld controlled systems," Dr. Jackson interjected. "Most of them are conditioned to believe that the Goa'uld own their lives."  
  
"What about our people?" O'Neil spoke up. "Can they be cured?"  
  
Kylan nodded. "Fortunately Cyan did allow me to take a blood sample, so that I may study the bacteria incase it was ever needed in the future. After years of study I discovered that the bacteria is similar to the physiology of the Goa'uld. It requires a host body to provide its nourishment and therefore, it continually regenerates the host's aging cells, thus granting a kind of immortality. But, unlike the Goa'uld, this bacteria has no tolerance for naquada. Brief exposure will destroy the bacteria without killing off the potential host."  
  
"How did you manage to make this discovery?" Dr. Clark asked, off curiosity.  
  
Kylan closed his eyes, and allowed Hale to take over.  
  
"I originally volunteered to be infected with the bacteria," He explained. "I fed from animals, and voluntary donors. But it wasn't until I fed from a Tokra host that my body experienced an anaphylactic reaction."  
  
"An allergy?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
Kylan took over once again.  
  
"We are prepared to donate samples of our blood so that you may defeat the infection."  
  
"General," O'Neil spoke up. "If naquada can prevent a person from becoming a vampire than we might still have a chance of rescuing Major Carter." "We might also be able to rescue the rest of SG-14." Col. Graves suggested.  
  
"It's likely we could save the other inhabitants as well," Doctor Clark added. "If we could get a large enough supply of liquid naquada it would be worth it."  
  
"That would be almost pointless," Kylan stated bluntly. "Many of the infected individuals who are still roaming the planet's surface have been there for many centuries. Some have been there for thousands of years. Even if they were cured it is unlikely that much would be left of their original minds."  
  
"Well, lets keep an open mind," General Hammond said, ready with a decision. "Doctor Frasier, I want you to work with Kylan and begin the process of curing our people. Colonel's O'Neil and Graves, your teams are scheduled to leave for P-2985 in two hours. Retrieve Major Carter, and if possible, try to bring back the rest of SG-14, but do not put yourselves at risk. Dismissed." 


	5. The Smell of Their Dead

Chapter 5: The Smell of their Dead  
  
"They don't seem to be too hungry tonight," Carter observed.  
  
Cyan smiled and stopped for a moment. Then she pointed deep into the valley. Sam aimed her flashlight and spotted six or seven of the vampires, all watching them from a safe distance.  
  
"For the love of god!" she exclaimed. "I didn't even notice them."  
  
"Fortunately I did," Cyan pointed out. "Those are the ones who dragged you away from the stargate."  
  
"Will they attack?"  
  
"Doubtful. I have never been attacked by my own kind. Not in all the time I've been here. That was how I was able to rescue you. They fear me, and so long as they think you are my prey they will not dare to attack you. Just stay close to me and be mindful."  
  
Another thought occurred to Carter as they continued on their path. Something that had been bothering her from the moment she had met Cyan.  
  
"Why are you different from them? You've lived here for so long and yet you seem to be the more civilized of the rest of them."  
  
Cyan took a moment before answering. Carter listened patiently.  
  
"The thirst for blood can have damaging effects on a mind," she said finally. "Long ago I learned to feed on the blood of the rodents that come to the river for food and water. That is why I no longer need a human life to sustain me. But the others have become dependant on the anger of a false god. If they're lucky a large enough group of prisoners will be sent through and for a time, it will become quiet. But if only a few come through the gate they will become ruthless and savage."  
  
"So it's a matter of personal discipline then."  
  
"Above all else I suppose. One of the unfortunate downsides of immortality, is that you cannot die of hunger."  
  
Carter shuddered at the idea of bacteria chewing away at a host's insides, looking for blood, and not just killing them to end their suffering. If the bacteria did in fact regenerate the aging cells, then this was one hell of a side effect.  
  
"Do any of them ever die?"  
  
"Some of them kill one another. Over territory and food and things like that. Out of desperation some might attempt to cannibalize one another, but it usually does very little good."  
  
"What about your link to them? You said you could sense that one of the members of SG-14 became one of you. Can't you communicate with them telepathically? You know, pass your knowledge down to them?"  
  
"Telepathy is too complicated a term for my link with them. This bacteria gives me the ability to feel and understand their instincts, and to some degree I can influence their actions. But they are beyond any form of communication."  
  
"Maybe the older ones yes. But some of the ones who have only been here for a few months or less must have some ability to communicate."  
  
"I'm afraid there are very few who survive long enough to become like the rest. In the lust for blood only the eldest and most powerful have survived for nearly as long as I have."  
  
Carter let her gaze drift back out to the mossy plain. Like a pack of hungry jackals waiting for a wildebeest to stray from the heard, the vampires kept up with them. Somehow this link between Cyan and the other vampires was the key to some kind of cure. Cyan might think she deserved this life but they could at least discover a way to give back the lives of those who were affected. Anyway, thinking was all she could do to keep her mind off of the vampires.

* * *

Dr. Jackson took in the surroundings as he stepped down off the rock that served as a step into and away from the wormhole. A massive black ball peeked over the horizon. Col. Graves and his team had all ready taken up positions at the mouth of the cave and around the DHD. A massive black ball peeked over the horizon.  
  
They wore night vision goggles to locate Sam, and used portable motion detectors since the vampires didn't give off enough body heat to be picked up by the goggles. According to Kylan's studies, it turned out quite nicely that vampires were in fact allergic to a certain chemical found in garlic, a root vegetable that happened to be common throughout the gate network. So in preparation for an attack of any kind, Doctor Clark and the rest of SG-8 went to work spraying down the entrance of the gave with melted garlic, courtesy of the cooks in the commissary.  
  
"It's beginning to smell like the Olive Garden in here. All right, Graves you stay here and be ready to open the gate. Teal'c, Jackson, you're with me. Oh...and try not to stare at the sun."  
  
"The sun is not likely to affect us O'Neil," Teal'c pointed out matter-of- factly. "Clearly it does not emit the same levels of ultraviolet radiation that many other stars generate."  
  
"Oh yeah." O'Neil responded, nonchalantly. "All right, lets move out."  
  
Almost immediately after they exited the tunnel, signs of motion popped up all over the monochrome screen. They were a short distance away, but it was clear that you didn't want to two steps in the wrong direction.  
  
"Jack, if what Lieutenant Reed said is true, these vampires have adopted some sort of group mentality," Dr. Jackson said. "If that's the case, we'd do well to keep an eye out for any sort of leader among any groups we encounter."  
  
"What good'll that do?"  
  
"Well, typically when the leader of a pack is eliminated the others become confused and lost. It might buy is a few minutes."  
  
"Tell you what, while I'm mowing down the other members of the pack and trying to keep my blood off the menu you can look for the leader."  
  
"The leader will most likely be the first to attack Col. O'Neil." Teal'c pointed out. "As in most social groups, the strongest of the pack eats first."  
  
Col. O'Neil shrugged. "Oh yeah."  
  
"It almost makes you wonder," Jackson continued, keeping is attention on the motion detector. "Every culture throughout the network has some kind of life sucking demon in its mythology. The Greeks had the vrykoladas, the Sumerians had the Seven Sisters, and so forth. In Italian culture vampires are referred to as larvae, and when you consider that there have been Goa'uld on earth since Ra first arrived here it almost makes more historical sense."  
  
"Aspects of many cultures and histories have been influenced by alien influence." Teal'c said in agreement. "Even the Asgard and the Tokra have had their presence in the lives of primitive races."  
  
"Yes but consider then what other myths might also be true," Jackson went on. "If vampires have always existed as a result of Osiris' tampering than what other creatures from myth could have also existed? Werewolves and ghouls for instance could have also been victims of the same biological tampering. "  
  
O'Neil was about to make some wry remark about requisitioning silver bullets from the armory, when the proximity censor went off. Jackson noticed several red dots moving in on their position.  
  
"Get down!" O'Neil ordered.  
  
Three vampires leapt into the trail beside them. Four more ran in front and more started attacking from the side. The three men took up positions and fired in all directions, killing some and only injuring others. The vampires that were injured let out a terrible smell, and a greenish yellow puss emerged from their wounds.  
  
Teal'c found a large rock and jumped on top to get a good vantage. And from their he fired his staff weapon, vampire after vampire into pieces. Dr. Jackson and Col. O'Neil followed suit and tried to get their own vantage points, but more vampires were being drawn by the sound of commotion and the scent of blood.  
  
A strong aroma was building up from the bodies of the fallen vampires. Many of them had not seen blood in several years or more, and the bacteria had drained their bodies of every last drop. It was creating a far more potent scent than the smell of blood itself. The vampires who were still alive seemed to be avoiding the dead ones.  
  
"We should try to kill as many as possible," Teal'c suggested. "The smell of their own dead seems to be driving them away."  
  
"Good idea," Col. O'Neil replied. "Start working on the ones who are close by, it'll create a ring around us."  
  
O'Neil pulled the pin out of a grenade and threw it as hard as he could, into an onslaught of vampires. The explosion was so bright in contrast to the dark landscape that it practically lit up the planet. The vampires that weren't torn apart by the shrapnel took the hint and ran. A few more remained persistent until the smell of their dead was too strong for them.  
  
"Whew," O'Neil pinched his nose for a second before going for his radio. "Colonel Graves, this is O'Neil, over."  
  
"I read you Jack. Do you need back up?"  
  
"Negative. I just wanted to let you know that the undead appear to have a healthy fear of the permanently dead. If any of them get close to the cave, don't hesitate to drop them. It may be a little more effective than the garlic."  
  
"Thanks for the info, it looks like it might come in handy."

* * *

Col. Graves and Lt. Lancaster held kept their weapons raised. But it was hard to fire on the vampires who were approaching, especially when they were still wearing the SGC logo on their arms. Major Levine and Lieutenant Cooper looked every bit like the other creatures, only without the primitive gaze and animalistic behavior.  
  
"Do not attempt to come any closer!" Graves warned.  
  
"Relax, sir," Major Levine responded, holding his arms up to show he was unarmed. "Cooper and I have been feeding off of the rats and fish. We were honestly hoping you'd return."  
  
"I think he may be sincere sir," Doctor Clark said, coming closer. "And they might have a clue where Major Carter is located."  
  
"She was taken away by some woman," Lt. Cooper confirmed. "But something inside us told us it would be a bad idea to follow her."  
  
"The link," Clark realized. "The link that Lieutenant Reed said he had over the others who were infected. The bacteria must be telegentic, linking those that are infected with the source of the disease. That woman must have been the original vampire that Kylan spoke of."  
  
"That may be true," Graves said. To Major Levine he said, "We can't let you guys in just yet. It's just too great a risk. SG-1 was attacked only a few minutes after they left, and its only a matter of time before those creatures discover we're here."  
  
"We understand," Major Levine replied. "The others are closing in right now. If you'll allow us, we'll serve as a primary line of defense out here until we can finally go home."  
  
Graves exchanged looks with the others.  
  
"All right Major. Whatever you can do, do it." 


	6. Temporary Misunderstanding

A/N: Okay, up until now I've been screwing up O'Neill's name. I know its two L's, but I was being stubborn. So, hopefully no one gets thrown off by the sudden change in consistency. And I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, but it would be nice if I could get reviews that are more than one or two words long. Thanks. :)

Also, I edited Chapter 6 ever so slightly, just to clarify the scene breaks and to clear up some small errors.

Chapter 6: Temporary Misunderstanding  
  
The sound of gunfire echoed against the open plains. Major Carter's ears perked and her hope of returning hope fluttered for a moment. It meant that help was on the way, but it could also mean that her help was about to be short lived.  
  
Knowing the colonel like she did, he would have hijacked the stargate to rescue one of his own. But if her friends came all this way just to get themselves killed she could never forgive herself.  
  
"I need to get out there!" She said, urgently.  
  
She ran ahead of Cyan, listening to the gunfire and following the sound. As she got further along she thought she could hear the sound of Teal'c's staff blasts as well.  
  
"Samantha, wait!" Cyan pleaded.  
  
Carter ignored Cyan's protests and ran further and further away from the river. But even as she got closer to the sound of the fighting she discovered she still had a long way to run. Even if she could get to them, she might not be there in time.  
  
Suddenly, the bright flash of a grenade and the sound of the explosion shattered the otherwise serene landscape. The explosion originated only a mile or so away from Carter's position, and in her haste she didn't notice the rock in her path. The ground seemed to fall from under her as she tripped and fell. The zat, which she was held in her hand ready for use, flew from her hand as the wind was sucked from her lungs. The pain of her ankle twisting seemed to travel slowly to her brain only to torture her more. And the increase in temperature as the sun rose didn't help matters either.  
  
Carter looked up and noticed a few of the vampires approaching her. Apparently they couldn't sense the naquada in her blood, or they might not have bothered with her.  
  
"Trust me," She said, wincing in pain as she righted herself. "I may be wounded and easy but I'm not what you're looking for."  
  
It wasn't getting through to them. One of the vampires got down on all fours and crawled towards her, sniffing the air. This one was dark skinned and stick thin. She could see his ribs sticking out beneath his long torn clothes. He smelled of rotted flesh and bodily fluids, and as the others gathered near it didn't help much. Carter had to exhale to keep from breathing in God knew what.  
  
The creature drew nearer, as if it was expecting Carter to be able to defend herself. Then she remembered what Cyan said. This must have been one of the vampires that had been following them all this time, waiting for Carter to stray from her only protection.  
  
Carter reached for the knife, which still hung from her belt and drew it. The vampire reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her neck closer to him. The pain was unimaginable as his fangs dug into her neck. She suppressed a scream as he began to feed off of her, and instead drove the knife into his side.  
  
"Aaaaargh!" The vampire screamed, pulling away from her. Carter grabbed her neck and pressed down, trying to staunch the blood flow.  
  
The other vampires hesitated, watching as their leader backed away from its prey, clutching his side. Greenish-yellow puss spilled from the wound as the fresh blood spilled from his mouth. Suddenly the vampire began writhing and twitching. He let out a powerful bellow that seemed to travel even further than the gunfire.  
  
The vampire fell to his side, convulsing and clutching its throat. Two more vampires drew closer; sniffing at the untouched blood, but not sure if it was all right to attack. Carter remained wary of the others but kept her eye on the leader. The naquada was taking its effect.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" O'Neill asked.  
  
Someone or something was screaming. It was hard to tell who or what it was, but as there were only two creatures on this planet currently capable of making the noise, it wasn't hard to narrow down.  
  
The men picked up the pace, following the sound as best they could. Teal'c was adept at tracking people down, and his talent came in handy especially now. O'Neill spent the course of his career listening for the faint screams of his fallen comrades, so using that as a gage to find someone wasn't anything new. And Jackson kept an eye out for signs of vampires advancing.  
  
After the little skirmish a short while ago they didn't seem to intent on attacking, but they followed anyway. This much blood was too good to pass up. Occasionally one would make a move.  
  
"Got him!" Dr. Jackson yelled, shooting twice.  
  
Blast! Teal'c dropped one.  
  
Atatatatatata! Col. O'Nel brought down three more.  
  
But the scent of their dead was only enough to keep them away for a short while.

* * *

The sight of their now dead leader was agitating the remaining vampires. They began to fight amongst each other, clawing and biting at one another.  
  
Carter's zat was closest to the melee, and it kept getting kicked and jostled further away. She wished she could at least climb to her feet, but the blood was still gushing from her open wound, and her ankle still hurt. She was relieved to at least discover a first aid kit in her belt, and moved as fast as she could to at least wrap some gauze around her neck.  
  
One of the vampires made a move for her. Acting on a sudden source of inspiration, she threw out her blood soaked hand and placed it on the vampire's face, before he managed to get too close. The reaction was almost instant. The vampire's hands flew to his face, spreading the blood all over as he tried to get it off.  
  
"Blood ala Carter," She quipped, ironically satisfied. "Courtesy of Jolinar."  
  
She removed the gun from her pouch and fired into the melee. She struck a female vampire in the shoulder, and two more males in the chest and throat. Before the others could run, Cyan leapt over Carter and grabbed one of the remaining vampires by the throat as she landed. With a single twist the vampire's neck snapped like a twig. The last of the vampires ran finally, clearly not willing to challenge Cyan over poisoned meal.  
  
"Thanks," Carter said, trying to get to her feet.  
  
Cyan offered her hand. Carter was able to hop on her right, but the pain in the left ankle was unbearable. And the heat was getting even more intolerable.  
  
"Do you still have the healing device?" Cyan asked, helping Sam back towards the river.  
  
"Yeah, it's in one of my pouches."  
  
"We should rest. The heat will slow you down if you do not conserve your strength."  
  
Carter wanted to protest, but Cyan was strong and insistent. Besides, if she could hear the boys' gunfire then they must have heard the screams of the vampires. And if she knew the protocol, they would have brought night vision goggles for picking up her heat signals.  
  
Cyan lead her to a soft patch of moss just beside the river and laid her down gently. Carter didn't want to admit it, but it did feel good to get off her feet for a little while. She removed the healing device from the pouch and slipped it over her hand, while Cyan refilled her canteen.

* * *

Half an hour went by after the last vampire attack.  
  
"We must have made a good impression," O'Neill said, wishing there was a tree or a desk nearby to knock on.  
  
"Or they could just be organizing a larger attack force," Teal'c offered.  
  
"It's possible," Jackson said. "We're not picking up any more motion on the sensor. But then they could just be hiding right outside the detector's range."  
  
"Just keep your eyes and ears open." O'Neill ordered. "I don't care of Dracula and his brides show up, we're not leaving here without Carter."  
  
"Jack!"  
  
"Daniel, for god's sake. I don't care if the historical Dracula was ever a real vampire I just-"  
  
"No, no, no, look. This motion detector was also modified to pick up naquada output. In case the Goa'uld decided to show up while we were here."  
  
Col. O'Neill stopped to look at the screen. The screen showed a yellowish blur just ahead of them. It was just bright enough to indicate a naquada powered device...or weapon. And it was only a few feet in front of them. They moved forward quietly, O'Neill signaling Teal'c to take point and Jackson to bring up the rear. As they grew nearer they started picking up motion on the detector and further from the river they were getting a heat signal.  
  
When they got close enough they could see one of the vampires from behind, crouched down, leaning over whom they could a only assume was Carter. O'Neill quickly signaled to the others, and once all sides were covered, they leapt from the clearing. The woman jumped up startled as the men held their weapons ready to fire. 


	7. Desperate Moves

A/N: Sorry if the end seems a little rushed. I've been trying to hammer out a chapter a week. Anyway, the story is actually almost over. I can't believe it...I will have actually finished a multi-chapter fic...this may signal the end of the world people.

Chapter 7: Desperate Moves  
  
General Hammond strolled into sickbay, eagerly awaiting Doctor Frasier's report. A mound of paperwork would have been a pleasant alternative than the call he had to make to the president earlier that morning. He could recall the conversation word for word.  
  
"Yes sir, I am serious...I'm sure Doctor Frasier would be happy to supply you with the information...yes sir, that's what I said, vampires. Well sir, we've been kicking the term around for a while and we decided to make it official. No sir, I have no idea what the people will think of this when we finally go public. With any luck it will boost the sale of all of those Anne Rice and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro novels. Well, the Tokra have been most helpful and Doctor Frasier is optimistic about our chances of curing the infection that's causing this. In the meantime many volunteers have offered some of their own blood to keep the currently infected members of SGC from becoming violent. Yes sir...yes sir...I hope so too. Good bye Mr. President."  
  
If the general ever lived to throw a retirement party, the President and all of his fellow retirees would never let him live this down.  
  
Doctor Frasier was checking Lt. Reed's vitals. The lieutenant was out cold, possibly a side effect of the internal struggle between the naquada and the bacteria.  
  
"How are we doing so far Doctor?" General Hammond asked, standing just far enough away to give privacy.  
  
"Well, Kylan's blood samples seem to be doing the trick. Fortunately Hale's a type O, so we're not having any conflicting blood problems. But we're still seeing a long recovery process, particularly in Lieutenant Reed here."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, it appears that the longer the bacteria is in a host the harder it is for the naquada to effect it." Doctor Frasier led Hammond to a computer displaying information on the bacteria. "According to Kylan's data, this bacteria moves fast through the body from the moment it enters the bloodstream. And from what I've been able to gather, it doesn't just die out when it has no more blood to feed on. To put it in simple terms, it moves in and stays there."  
  
"Are you saying there may be no way to reverse what's happened to SG-14?" General Hammond didn't like the idea one bit.  
  
"Unless this 'Cyan' consents to being tested, I'm afraid there's not much hope. Fortunately Moran, and the soldiers she bit were not effected for very long before we got to them."  
  
Though he pretended to be asleep, Lt. Reed could hear and sense everything around him. So long as there was warm blood nearby nothing could hide from him. General Hammond and Doctor Frasier were standing only a few feet from his bed. At the entrance of the sickbay stood two guards, and beyond that were even more guards. Slowly, he could feel his influence over the others beginning to fade.  
  
No matter. All he needed was standing right in front of him. He waited for Doctor Frasier to finish speaking with the general. Then, just before he left she came close again. In a flash his hand went to her throat, and he leapt out of bed.  
  
"Not so fast General!" He demanded.  
  
He positioned himself behind the doctor, as General Hammond whipped around and the guards pulled out their guns. He pinned down Frasier's arms with one arm while holding her head back with the other, exposing her neck.  
  
"Reed," Hammond's tone was calm yet firm. "Lets calm down. No one has to get hurt."  
  
"No one but the blood sucking fiend right?" Reed growled. "If I can't be cured then I can't be of any use to the SGC. What's left for me after this? A spot in some freak show?"  
  
"We can help you," Frasier said, her voice strained from her neck being pulled back. "Just because we can't cure you doesn't mean there aren't ways to live with it."  
  
"There's only one way to end all this," Reed insisted. With Dr. Frasier pressed close enough to his body to provide cover, he moved forward. "I need to go back to P-2985. General, if you try to stop me I'll bite her, and everyone I come into contact with until I get to the stargate."  
  
Faced with no alternative General Hammond glanced back at the guards and gestured them to move aside. In a situation like this, reason and negotiation were useless. While he lead the way Reed shot warning glances to all the airmen who were ordered to back down, incase anyone decided to play hero.  
  
"Don't even think about it," he hissed as one woman attempted to make a move.  
  
"Just stand down!" General Hammond repeated the order.  
  
When they got to the elevator, Reed went in first, with his back facing to the wall, all the while making sure Janet was between him and any one who forgot to think twice before firing. It really was too bad that he couldn't just become a mist and re-materialize in the gate room...but this was real life after all.

* * *

"Don't shoot!"  
  
Cyan dropped the canteen and bared her teeth like a tigress defending her cubs. Col. O'Neill, Teal'c and Dr. Jackson were ready to drop her without a second thought. Only M. Carter's protests, and the fear that they might hit her in the cross fire, made them hesitate.  
  
"Sam, are you all right?" Jackson asked, shifting his focus between his friend and the creature standing between them.  
  
"I'm fine," Carter replied, getting in front of Cyan. "She's the one who got me this far. Just lower your guns, I promise you."  
  
O'Neill noticed the healing device in Carter's hand. "How do I know she hasn't made you like one of them? She could be tricking you to protect her."  
  
Jackson and Teal'c both exchanged glances. Though Jackson was more expressive than Teal'c, the unspoken agreement was that O'Neill was barely paying attention during the briefing, as per usual.  
  
"Sam's blood has naquada," Jackson reminded him, explaining it slowly as if to a class of freshmen. "It would have killed off the bacteria."  
  
"This is Cyan," Carter explained. "She was the one who rescued me when the vampires first attacked, and she just saved me again a few moments ago."  
  
"You are the one Kylan spoke of," Teal'c said to Cyan, lowering his weapon.  
  
"I remember Kylan," Cyan responded, becoming civilized once more. "I only wish that I had asked him to do what I must ask of you now."  
  
Col. O'Neill shot a quizzical look at Carter.  
  
"She wants us to destroy the gate sir," she explained. "If we destroy it than Apophis, or Sokar, or any of the other system lords who claim this world won't be able to send victims here."  
  
"But you'd be trapped here." Dr. Jackson pointed out.  
  
Cyan smiled sadly. "I have lived here for thousands of years. I have seen many come here only to die. And I witnessed this happening to your people. Every time someone becomes one of us I am hurt and pained to think that I will continue to be alone on a world of death and darkness. And it is in my selfishness for a companion that I have lacked the strength to destroy the stargate myself."  
  
"And you want us to do it for you," O'Neill summed up. "Look, ordinarily I'd be happy to help you out. But a member of one of our teams here is making a buffet out of the SGC. And until we find a way to cure him of it-"  
  
"There has never been a cure for my kind," Cyan argued. "Osiris made it impossible to kill this bacteria so easily. In her early experiments she made sure of this."  
  
"But surely small doses of naquada will be of some use," Jackson said.  
  
"Naquada only kills them," Carter explained. "One of them tried to feed off me and he died moments later. And just touching my blood burns their skin. You have to remember, some of these vampires have been around for centuries."  
  
"All right." O'Neill made his decision. "Lets just get back to the cave and we'll discuss this in relative safety. Oh, and Major...good to have you back."  
  
M. Carter smiled. "Thank you sir."

* * *

Major Levine pulled out his knife and slashed the approaching vampire with a single swipe. The strength was amazing and he found that his senses of sight and hearing were also increased. If it weren't for the ever-present thirst for blood this might have been an excellent career move. At least he would eventually look like the youngest general in the air force.  
  
Lieutenant Cooper also seemed to embrace his new abilities. He made frequent runs around the perimeter of the cave, spraying the area with liquefied garlic to scare away the others, even though it irritated his skin as well.  
  
Doctor Clark remained inside the garlic barrier at the cave entrance, but managed to satisfy her curiosity by asking a few questions when it got quiet enough.  
  
"What does it feel like?"  
  
"Strange at first." Levine said, staying alert but trying to be polite. "Do you remember the first time you ever gave blood?"  
  
"Yeah, a long time ago."  
  
"Well, it feels like that. You know there's a loss and your body makes sure you don't forget it for a few days. Only this is a more permanent feeling. Plus, even when its light enough outside, my vision gets blurred when I look at the river or any other reflective surface."  
  
"Of course...vampires must lose the ability to see reflective light the way we can. That must have been the source of the myth in Earth's history."  
  
"Well, I can blow a few theories out of the water at least. I haven't been able to turn into a bat, I can't fly, and I sure as hell can't charm ladies into a dark seductive corner."  
  
They shared a light laugh. But the calmness didn't last long. Not when the gate was activated. 


	8. The Demon Within

Chapter 8: The Demon Within  
  
"Chevron 4, encoded. Chevron 5 encoded. Chevron-"  
  
Airmen stood their ground in the gate room while Lt. Reed stood at the platform. In the control room the gate technicians went about their work as if nothing were different. Seeing Goa'uld system lords and Asgard representatives come through the gate didn't shake their attention, and neither did this.  
  
A guard approached General Hammond, who watched helplessly through the observation glass.  
  
"If you can give me ten seconds I can drop him without hurting the doctor." He proposed.  
  
"I appreciate the offer," Hammond answered. "But it'd only take one bite for him to infect Doctor Frasier, and I won't take that chance. The best thing to do is hope that the teams on the other side can handle this more efficiently."  
  
The wormhole opened after the seventh chevron was locked.  
  
"You don't have to do this," Frasier continued to try to reason with him. "Running away won't solve anything."  
  
"Spare me the hostage negotiations," Lt. Reed half growled. "Be thankful I have no intent on biting you. If you only knew how strong the urge to tear your neck apart was, you'd be thankful."  
  
"Help us to understand it. All we've had are Kylan's notes and observations, not your personal insight. That might help us to-"  
  
"There's only one way to stop this. Even now thousands of light years away from the planet, I can sense the source of this evil."  
  
With Frasier still tight in his grip, Lt. Reed led her into the stargate. It was a comfort to know that even with his back exposed, no one would risk her life to stop him. But it was even less of a comfort when he realized, that after all of this, the end of his career could be summed up by flushing the toilet.

* * *

A full team at last, SG-1 made their way back to the cave in formation. Jackson was alert, but he hung back with Cyan, who seemed wary of Teal'c and O'Neill.   
  
"I'm sorry for any misunderstandings," He apologized. As usual his voice was awkward and sincere. "We were being attacked left and right up until that point. Add that to the numerous misconceptions of your kind presented to us in our various media and you could understand our reaction at first."  
  
"I understand you were acting in the best interest of your friend," Cyan responded, seemingly oblivious to Dr. Jackson's ramblings. "But I accept your apology."  
  
"You know you're welcome to come back with us. You're just as much a victim of the Goa'uld as the Jaffa and any of the thousands of humans they've tampered with. There's no reason for you to be trapped all alone on this world."  
  
"And there is no hope for me on any other. Where can I go where my kind will be accepted? Surely your world will not want me in their midst."  
  
"Surely we could help you adjust to life on Earth. Prejudice may still exist but we've become a lot more understanding of people's differences."  
  
"Daniel Jackson speaks the truth," Teal'c spoke up from behind. "Though it was difficult at first, my human friends have treated me as an equal, and not as the carrier of a Goa'uld."  
  
"But you do not drink the blood of humans," Cyan pointed out. "How can I live among people whom I must feed on to live?"  
  
"You've fed off of animals as well," Carter said. "There are plenty of animals on Earth you could feed from without harming humans. And there are blood banks as well, so you can get good old-fashioned human blood if necessary."  
  
Col. O'Neill rolled his eyes. Normally he'd have a smart remark to add, but this was a somewhat diplomatic situation and he didn't want to be rude, especially if Cyan was able to keep those things away.  
  
The next few minutes were spent with Carter and Jackson trying to persuade Cyan to come to Earth with them. Cyan didn't think it was fair that they could help her but leave the others behind. Debate team points were being racked from both sides. Teal'c had all ready said all that he was going to say, and as he had no more to gain by adding any further insight, he kept alert for signs of danger.  
  
"Colonel O'Neill!" Graves urgent voice came over the radio.  
  
"What is it Mark?"  
  
"It's Reed, sir. He's just come through the gate?"  
  
"Do you need help?"  
  
"There's not much anyone can do right now. He's holding doctor Frasier hostage."  
  
"Damn it," O'Neill said off radio. "Ask him what he wants."

* * *

Reed had ordered Lt. Fields away from the DHD, and admonished SG-8 to drop their weapons. He noticed the surviving members of his own team, Levine and Cooper, standing outside the cave repelled only by the scent of the garlic which also irritated Reed's senses. But Frasier was still in his grasp.  
  
He allowed the brief exchange between Graves and O'Neill, and after O'Neill asked what he wanted, he spoke.  
  
"The woman who dragged Carter away," He said, clearly and loudly. "I can sense her even more now. She's the source of all of this."

* * *

For a moment Cyan shared SG-1's focus. She would not have blamed them for handing her over to this man who now suffered from the bacteria.  
  
"What does he think he can do?" Jackson wondered.  
  
Cyan looked to M. Carter, her first true friend since this recent turn of events. That friendship of the last few hours was all she had to rely on now.  
  
"There is a reason the others will not attack me," She spoke, looking to Carter for sympathy. "And it has to do with the influence I have over them. At least, as far as their aversion to pain and death are concerned."  
  
"Can you be a little less cryptic?" Col. O'Neil asked impatiently. "A dear friend of mine is depending on our ability to negotiate with a man who's working under the influence of this bacteria your 'kind' has been spreading."  
  
"Sir, I think I understand," Carter said. "If Cyan is the original carrier of the bacteria, and that same bacteria links her to the others, then what could happen if she were...well, killed?"  
  
"It is possible that the other shaliks would no longer be a threat," Teal'c answered. "The ones who have been here the longest would die off, but perhaps SG-14 could be completely cured of the infection."  
  
Cyan looked away. Her fate was sealed now that they knew the truth.  
  
"But we can't just kill her," Dr. Jackson protested. "Even with our current situation, if we were to kill Cyan to save ourselves we'd be no better than the Goa'uld."  
  
"Well no one said anything about killing yet," O'Neill said. He looked to Cyan, trying to show some bit of sympathy, but failing. "Right now, all Reed wants is to see her. But we can't risk Janet or anyone else's life over someone we've known only a few hours."  
  
"I understand your situation," Cyan replied. "If I'd had the strength long ago I would have remained in front of the Stargate when the Goa'uld sent me their victims. Let this man see me, let him do what he will with me. If it truly relieves your people of this terrible curse than I will have died with more purpose than I have ever lived in the thousands of years I existed."  
  
"Sir, I have an idea," Carter said. Something in the major's voice gave O'Neill the impression that he wouldn't like what she had to say. But he was willing to hear anything at this point.  
  
Her idea was dangerous, and way beyond asinine.  
  
"Absolutely not!" He replied. "We didn't come all the way out here to save you only to have you risk your life like this.  
  
"Sir, what other choice do we have? Look, I've seen for myself what my blood can do to them. I can't get infected with the bacteria.  
  
"No, but your body can't handle that much blood loss. No one's can."  
  
"I'm willing to take the risk."  
  
"Well I'm not!"  
  
"We don't have a lot of time. Even if we were to kill Cyan now Reed might remain a vampire and end up killing Janet to spite us."  
  
"I won't ask you to risk your life for me," Cyan stepped in.  
  
There was an awkward silence. O'Neill and Carter exchanged glares, one trying to make the other back down. He was against the idea of putting her at risk, and he knew his motives were more personal than professional. Of all the people in the galaxy with naquada in their bloodstream, why did she have to be the one to take the risk? O'Neill turned to Cyan.  
  
"You don't have to take that much. The minute you start to chug I'll shoot you myself. Understood?"  
  
Cyan nodded.  
  
"Good." O'Neill spoke into the radio. "Graves, tell Reed to meet us-" 


	9. The Source

Chapter 9: The Source  
  
Reed loosened his grip on Dr. Frasier, under the promise that she wouldn't struggle against him. The minute he let go of her the minute the others could fire, and it wasn't a chance he was willing to take. Not that there was much hope anyway. Whether he died now or lived forever, he made the decision to end his career when he took Dr. Frasier hostage and left the SGC.  
  
The smell of the garlic sickened him, but he managed to suppress the urge to vomit. Colonel O'Neill's orders were for Graves and the others to stay by the gate, while Reed made his way for the rendezvous point. Levine and Cooper both followed closely, weapons out and ready to use.  
  
"I hope you two aren't planning on trying anything," He growled his warning.  
  
"We're in the same boat as you are," Levine pointed out as casually as if they were walking in a park. "We're just following to make sure you don't hurt the doctor."  
  
"Fair enough."  
  
Doctor Frasier was unsure what to say. She had been in hostage situations before, most of them right at the base. And she had faith in Col. O'Neill and the others. All she had to do was remind herself of how many times she owed her life to SG-1 and she could remain calm.  
  
She decided to pass the time, focusing on the new world. One of the benefits of working in the SGC was actually getting to travel to alien worlds once in a while. But after the numerous worlds and all of their strange and sometimes daunting environments, Dr. Frasier had never been to one as dark as this before. The sounds of insects reminded her of the camping trips she'd taken her adopted daughter on in the past.  
  
Suddenly, the thought made Frasier want to fight, and she had to crush the feelings of panic welling up inside her. She trusted SG-1.

* * *

Major Carter stood beside Cyan at clearing between some large rocks, where the colonel said they were to meet. Col. O'Neill, Doctor Jackson, and Teal'c took up positions behind the rocks, ready to jump into action when the moment was right.  
  
"We do not have to do this," Cyan said. Her position changed in the last few hours, and now she was the one trying to persuade Carter not to risk her life.  
  
"Cyan, this only proves that you are still human," Carter pointed out. "You've expressed concern over our lives, and the lives of others ever since I met you. The risk to my life is no greater than the risk to yours. If my plan works, than you'll survive and live on as a human being. If it doesn't, then we could both die anyway. Either way, I can't just go back to Earth knowing that I placed the value of my life over yours. That's what makes me human too."  
  
Cyan smiled warmly.  
  
"I hope we can make more of this friendship Samantha. If you and your friends are an example of life on Earth, then perhaps leaving this world wouldn't be such a bad idea."  
  
"I promise you Cyan, if this plan works out the way I hope, I'll show you everything."  
  
The sound of footsteps drew near. Carter wished she hadn't lost her night vision goggles so long ago. She pointed her flashlight in the direction of the sound, and recognized the white reflective cloth of Dr. Frasier's lab coat.  
  
Cyan could feel the presence of three of her own as they drew near. Since the others were clearly afraid of her, she assumed that these three were all members of SG-14. Reed stopped about six feet from Carter and Cyan.  
  
"Evening Sam." Major Levine's voice was clear and calm. He stood to the right of Lt. Reed while Cooper stood to the left. "Nice night for a walk, huh?"  
  
"Major Levine?" Carter asked, confused.  
  
"Its okay," he replied. "We're just here to make sure Reed doesn't step out of line."  
  
"So long as I get Cyan, everything will be just fine," Reed promised.  
  
"I do not want any more people to suffer," Cyan said, holding out her hands. "Do as you will with me."  
  
Cyan took a step towards Reed. Feeling her draw towards him at a slow pace, Reed became impatient. Quickly he threw Janet to the side and advanced. That's when the darkness lit up with the dim yet powerful glow of the zat blast.  
  
O'Neill stepped out of the shadow of the rock and held the zat towards M. Levine and Lt. Cooper. They pocketed their weapons to show they meant no harm.  
  
"Nice to see you again gentlemen," O'Neill said, lowering the zat.  
  
"Likewise Colonel O'Neill." Lt. Cooper responded.  
  
Reed got to his feet slowly, only stunned by the zat, but determined to kill Cyan. Without wasting another minute, Cyan turned to Carter, who tilted her head back and removed the gauze. Cyan cleared the space in one step, and sank her teeth into Carter's neck. As the first mouthful of blood touched her throat, the effect was instant.  
  
Reed, Cooper, and Levine screamed as a pain unlike any they had ever experienced, spread through their body like wildfire. The men dropped to the ground and began to writhe, just as the sounds of the other vampires began to join in one bone rattling sound.

* * *

A group of vampires was gathering near the cave. SG-8 dropped one after the other, until the last of them began to scream. They writhed on the ground shrieking in pain. One tumbled forward into the cave.  
  
Doctor Clark pulled out her bottle of garlic spray and unloaded the last of it onto the vampire's exposed skin. Burns covered the skin and it began to break apart, releasing the bacteria infested blood.  
  
"God, someone light a match!" Graves remarked.  
  
"What's going out there?" Lt. Fields wondered.  
  
"Something must have happened to the original vampire," Doctor Clark suggested. "Since speaking to Major Levine I suspected that anything that happened to the source would also effect the others. That's why she was able to rescue Major Carter before, they were afraid to go near her."  
  
"Well, whatever it is its doing the trick," Graves radioed O'Neill. "How's it going Jack? You need any assistance?"  
  
"Negative, we'll be there shortly. Radio Hammond and tell him that we have SG-8 minus Doctor Murray and Doctor Frasier safe and sound. We're going to need medical teams for SG-8 and Major Carter."  
  
"You got it. Fields, dial out."

* * *

Cyan had to force herself to pull back. The pain inside her was like acid eating away at her veins. Her thought process suspended as she was reduced to the screaming in anguish like the others.  
  
Trying to tune out the sound of the screaming, Frasier went to Carter's side to staunch the flow of blood from her neck. Carter was too weakened to even reach for the healing device. Fortunately O'Neill had more gauze and bandages in his first aid kit. Doctor Jackson went to Cyan's side and held her as she thrashed about. Teal'c remained wary, lest Reed, Levine or Cooper decided to attack.  
  
Then, as suddenly as it started, Cyan stopped writhing. A wave of silence swept throughout the landscape. SG-8 lay on the ground, motionless, eyes opened and skin pale. Doctor Frasier went from person to person checking pulses.  
  
"I'm not getting anything," she reported.  
  
She went to Cyan last and checked the wrist and throat. Just as she was about to conclude another loss, she felt something. It was weak at first, but slowly, and steadily, a Cyan's pulse started to return.  
  
"That's strange..."  
  
"What?" Dr. Jackson asked, confused. When Doctor Frasier went to check the others again, he placed his fingers on Cyan's wrist and also noticed the rising pulse. He also noticed, to some amazement, that her chest began to rise.  
  
Reed, Levine, and Cooper all began to show normal pulses. Their breathing returned at a slow and steady pace, and the life started to return to their eyes. But they were very week.  
  
"Graves," O'Neill called.  
  
"Graves her sir."  
  
"We're going to need some help getting our people back to base. Don't worry about the vampires, I think we've seen the last of them."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Carter's gaze was weak from the loss of blood, but she looked over at Cyan, and smiled. Cyan's first few breaths were painful, having drawn very little oxygen for over three thousand years. But she took each breath gladly and without complaint.

* * *

A/N: I hope this was as good as everyone thought it would be. I might write a short follow up later on, but for now, I'm grateful that I actually followed through with a long project, right to the end.  
  
Thank you for all the reviews I've received in the last few weeks.  
  
A big thanks to Richard Dean Anderson for taking an awesome movie and producing an even more amazing series.  
  
As said before, Stargate and the featured characters are the sole property of the Sci-Fi Channel. This fic, and the original characters within are my own. For permission to copy and use my fic on your own website, please e-mail me at 


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